Tea & Biscuits
by cleaningthetractorwiththat
Summary: Survivors 1975 Story set after the end of the episode "Gone Away". Abby, Jenny & Greg have made a base in a church. Jenny & Greg's car is some fields away having run out of petrol. Returning to the church at night they find their food & belongings trashed by armed thugs who they had seen off earlier that day at a supermarket. Before leaving, the thugs had shot out all Abby's tyre


Greg sat by the church door, cradling a shotgun in his arms. His ears strained against the night, which was only occasionally broken by sleeping murmurs from Abby of "Peter" or "David" and a garbled account of one or two unpleasant encounters from Jenny.

He tried to pull the parka tighter around him. Moving relieved his stiffness, but reminded him how cold he was and reset his nervous setting to high. He was huddled, almost alone with his thoughts and whatever creatures were stirring in the overgrown graveyard outside. The night passed achingly slowly without even the annoying comfort of a ticking clock to count away the endless seconds.

It took some time for Greg's eyes to recognise the feint hues of dawn bleeding through the big stained glass window. The light creeping ever closer to Abby and Jenny on the church floor.

Greg's brain suddenly woke. He hadn't been asleep, but he hadn't been concentrating either. He scowled at himself and looked up at the big window. It was almost fully lit now. The light seemed to stir him, well at least his empty belly, and his gaze moved away. He caught sight of Jenny's face. Her big eyes were wide open and she was looking straight at him. 'Thank you.' She mouthed and smiled at him.

Greg raised a tired smile back, rested the shotgun against a pew and went over to the primus on the table.

Jenny sat up stiffly, wishing that the church floor had been just a little forgiving. She stretched and yawned and as quietly as she could shuffled out of the sleeping bag. Like Abby she had slept fully clothed, apart from her boots which she collected. The stone flagged floor was cold to her feet, so she was glad of the chair by the table and the opportunity to put her boots on.

The primus hissed noisily under the kettle, as things always do when someone else is sleeping. Greg fished a digestive biscuit from half way down the packet and then offered Jenny the pack.

Jenny shook her head. She cradled her cold hands around the flame. "You been up all night?" She whispered.

Greg nodded slowly, chewing on the biscuit just as slowly.

"It's not going to be a very nice world is it?" The frown on Jenny's face was one of concern and a 'what are you doing woman?' chastisement of herself. Was that the best she could come up with?

"No." Agreed Greg, looking into the distance, "But in parts of Africa they'd kill you for a mouthful of water. Never mind a sack of potatoes and a tin of spaghetti. Lucky sods."

"Lucky?"

"You ever grown a potato?" Said Greg dourly. He took another bite. His face was tired and his brain was very tired. He needed coffee and he needed it now.

Jenny shook her head. "I was thinking about what Abby said last night. I don't know how to knit, how to grow things or anything."

"Yeah, well." Greg continued the theme "I don't suppose the ability to repair an oil rig is going to come in that handy either." Greg had meant it as a joke, but in his tired state it came out rather despondently.

There was an awkward, thoughtful silence.

Jenny plucked up a lot of courage to ask a question she had really feared the answer to. "Are, you staying?"

Greg looked into the distance or down at his hands. "There aren't that many people left Jenny. And what there are running scared." He still didn't look at her. "Frightened of the day the baked beans run out."

Jenny dug deeper for more courage. Greg couldn't leave them. He just couldn't. "We need to stay together."

"Sure." Agreed Greg, smiling, but still refusing eye contact as if lost in thought. "Besides," he finally looked at her and became concerned at the worry in Jenny's face "I don't really like baked beans all that much." He didn't know why he did it, but as he got up from the table Greg ruffled Jenny's hair.

Jenny smiled with glee and turned to watch Greg walk over to wake Abby. The whistling of the kettle made Jenny jump and the sudden need for teabags distracted her attention.

A gentle rock of the shoulder was more than enough to wake Abby who now slept very lightly. Startled she was suddenly and abruptly awake.

"Hey, hey." Reassured Greg, "It's us." Abby's frightened tension gave way to relief. "We'd better try and make a move." Abby nodded firmly to Greg's suggestion.

Jenny handed Abby a mug of tea as she reached the table, "Thanks Jen." Abby cradled the warmth in her cold fingers.

"We need to pack up and leave as soon as." Announced Greg.

"Do you think they'll be back?" queried Abby.

Jenny spoke through sips of tea "Greg stopped up all night."

Abby looked at him. "Thank you." She said sincerely. Greg acknowledged her with a tired smile and raised 'so be it' eyebrows.

"Wonder how far it is to the nearest petrol station?" Thought Jenny out loud.

Greg rubbed his unshaven whiskers. "Well," he pondered "I'd say about 10 yards." Seemingly ignoring the girls 'Are you mad?' stares he matter of fact-ly added "We jack up the Volvo, pierce the fuel tank and fill up the MG." Very satisfied with himself Greg smiled and reached for another biscuit.


End file.
